J. Pat Cannady

The gas-phase reaction between silylene and 2-butyne: kinetics, isotope studies, pressure dependence studies and quantum chemical calculations.

Time-resolved kinetic studies of the reactions of silylene, SiH(2), and dideutero-silylene, SiD(2), generated by laser flash photolysis of phenylsilane and phenylsilane-d(3), respectively, have been carried out to obtain rate coefficients for their bimolecular reactions with 2-butyne, CH(3)C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CCH(3). The reactions were studied in the gas phase over the pressure range 1-100 Torr in SF(6) bath gas at five temperatures in the range 294-612 K. The second-order rate coefficients, obtained by extrapolation to the high pressure limits at each temperature, fitted the Arrhenius equations where the error limits are single standard deviations: log(k(H)(Infinity)/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) = (-9.67 +/- 0.04) + (1.71 +/- 0.33) kJ mol(1)/RTIn10log(k(D)(Infinity)/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) = (-9.65 +/- 0.01) + (1.92 +/- 0.13) kJ mol(-1)/RTIn10. Additionally, pressure-dependent rate coefficients for the reaction of SiH(2) with 2-butyne in the presence of He (1-100 Torr) were obtained at 301, 429 and 613 K. Quantum chemical (ab initio) calculations of the SiC(4)H(8) reaction system at the G3 level support the formation of 2,3-dimethylsilirene [cyclo-SiH(2)C(CH(3))[double bond, length as m-dash]C(CH(3))-] as the sole end product. However, reversible formation of 2,3-dimethylvinylsilylene [CH(3)CH[double bond, length as m-dash]C(CH(3))SiH] is also an important process. The calculations also indicate the probable involvement of several other intermediates, and possible products. RRKM calculations are in reasonable agreement with the pressure dependences at an enthalpy value for 2,3-dimethylsilirene fairly close to that suggested by the ab initio calculations. The experimental isotope effects deviate significantly from those predicted by RRKM theory. The differences can be explained by an isotopic scrambling mechanism, involving H-D exchange between the hydrogens of the methyl groups and the D-atoms in the ring in 2,3-dimethylsilirene-1,1-d(2). A detailed mechanism involving several intermediate species, which is consistent with the G3 energy surface, is proposed to account for this.

Time-resolved gas-phase kinetic, quantum chemical and RRKM studies of reactions of silylene with cyclic ethers.

Time-resolved kinetic studies of silylene, SiH(2), generated by laser flash photolysis of phenylsilane, have been carried out to obtain rate constants for its bimolecular reactions with oxirane, oxetane, and tetrahydrofuran (THF). The reactions were studied in the gas phase over the pressure range 1-100 Torr in SF(6) bath gas, at four or five temperatures in the range 294-605 K. All three reactions showed pressure dependences characteristic of third-body-assisted association reactions with, surprisingly, SiH(2) + oxirane showing the least and SiH(2) + THF showing the most pressure dependence. The second-order rate constants obtained by extrapolation to the high-pressure limits at each temperature fitted the Arrhenius equations where the error limits are single standard deviations: log(k(infinity)oxirane/cm3 molecule(-1)s(-1))=(-11.03+/-0.07) + (5.70+/-0.51)kJ mol(-1) ln 10, log(k(infinity)oxetane/cm3 molecule(-1)s(-1))=(-11.17+/-0.11)+(9.04+/-0.78) kJ mol(-1)/RT ln 10, log(k(infinity)THF/cm3 molecule(-1)s(-1))=(-10.59+/-0.10)+(5.76+/-0.65) kJ mol(-1)/RT ln 10. Binding-energy values of 77, 97, and 92 kJ mol-1 have been obtained for the donor-acceptor complexes of SiH2 with oxirane, oxetane, and THF, respectively, by means of quantum chemical (ab initio) calculations carried out at the G3 level. The use of these values to model the pressure dependences of these reactions, via RRKM theory, provided a good fit only in the case of SiH2 + THF. The lack of fit in the other two cases is attributed to further reaction pathways for the association complexes of SiH2 with oxirane and oxetane. The finding of ethene as a product of the SiH2 + oxirane reaction supports a pathway leading to H2Sid=O + C2H4 predicted by the theoretical calculations of Apeloig and Sklenak.

Reactions of Silylene with Unreactive Molecules. 2. Nitrogen: Gas-Phase Kinetic and Theoretical Studies

Time-resolved studies of the reaction of silylene, SiH 2 , with N 2 have been attempted at 296, 417, and 484 K, using laser flash photolysis to generate and monitor SiH 2 . No conclusive evidence for reaction could be foundeven with pressures of N 2 of 500 Torr. This enables us to set upper limits of ca. 3 × 10 - 1 5 cm 3 molecule - 1 s - 1 for the second-order rate constants. A lower limit for the activation energy, E a , of ca. 47 kJ mol - 1 is also derived. Ab initio calculations at the G3 level indicate that the only SiH 2 N 2 species of lower energy than the separated reactants is the H 2 Si...N 2 donor-acceptor (ylid) species with a relative enthalpy of -26 kJ mol - 1 , insufficient for observation of reaction under the experimental conditions. Ten bound species on the SiH 2 N 2 surface were found and their energies calculated as well as those of the potential dissociation products: HSiN + NH( 3 Σ - ) and HNSi + NH( 3 Σ - ). Additionally two of the transition states involving cyclic-SiH 2 N 2 (siladiazirine) were explored. It appears that siladiazirine is neither thermodynamically nor kinetically stable. The findings indicate that Si-N d bonds (where N d is double-bonded nitrogen) are not particularly strong. An unexpected cyclic intermediate was found in the isomerization of silaisocyanamide to silacyanamide.

Time-resolved gas-phase kinetic studies of the reaction of dimethylsilylene with triethylsilane-1-d: kinetic isotope effect for the Si–H insertion process

Time-resolved kinetic studies of the reaction of dimethylsilylene, SiMe2, generated by laser flash photolysis of 1,1-dimethyl-1-silacyclopent-3-ene, have been carried out to obtain rate coefficients for its bimolecular reactions with trimethylsilane-1-d, Me3SiD. The reaction was studied in the gas phase at five temperatures in the range 292-605 K. The rate coefficients showed no pressure dependence in the presence of up to 13 kPa of SF6. The second order rate coefficients obtained at 0.7 kPa fitted the Arrhenius equation: log(k/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1)) = (-13.53 ± 0.19) + (11.29 ± 1.46) kJ mol(-1)/RT ln 10. By comparison with rate coefficients obtained previously for the reaction of SiMe2 with Me3SiH, a set of kinetic isotope effects, kH/kD, of value ca. 1.2 showing very little temperature dependence was obtained. Theoretical support for these values has been obtained by means of quantum chemical calculations used in conjunction with transition state theory. This study provides the first comprehensive set of kinetic isotope effects for the Si-H(D) insertion process of a silylene in the gas phase.

Photolysis of (Me2Si)6 in argon matrices doped with high concentrations (ca. 20%) of N2O or C2H4O: formation of (Me2SiO)6

Abstract Irradiation using a low pressure mercury lamp ( λ =ca. 250 nm) of argon matrices containing ca. 1% (Me 2 Si) 6 and ca. 20% ethylene oxide (C 2 H 4 O) or nitrous oxide (N 2 O) for a period of ca. 20 h leads to the formation of the cyclic compound (Me 2 SiO) 6 . This has a 12-membered ring with alternating Si and O atoms. It is identified by comparison of its infrared spectrum with a spectrum of an authentic sample. The reaction appears to proceed by stepwise insertion of O atoms into SiSi bonds.

Time-resolved gas-phase kinetic, quantum chemical and RRKM studies of the reaction of silylene with 2,5-dihydrofuran

Time-resolved kinetics studies of silylene, SiH2, generated by laser flash photolysis of phenylsilane, were performed to obtain rate coefficients for its bimolecular reaction with 2,5-dihydrofuran (2,5-DHF). The reaction was studied in the gas phase over the pressure range of 1-100 Torr in SF6 bath gas, at five temperatures in the range of 296-598 K. The reaction showed pressure dependences characteristic of a third body assisted association. The second-order rate coefficients obtained by Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM)-assisted extrapolation to the high-pressure limit at each temperature fitted the following Arrhenius equation where the error limits are single standard deviations: log(k/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1)) = (-9.96 ± 0.08) + (3.38 ± 0.62 kJ mol(-1))/RT ln 10. End-product analysis revealed no GC-identifiable product. Quantum chemical (ab initio) calculations indicate that reaction of SiH2 with 2,5-DHF can occur at both the double bond (to form a silirane) and the O atom (to form a donor-acceptor, zwitterionic complex) via barrierless processes. Further possible reaction steps were explored, of which the only viable one appears to be decomposition of the O-complex to give 1,3-butadiene + silanone, although isomerization of the silirane cannot be completely ruled out. The potential energy surface for SiH2 + 2,5-DHF is consistent with that of SiH2 with Me2O, and with that of SiH2 with cis-but-2-ene, the simplest reference reactions. RRKM calculations incorporating reaction at both π- and O atom sites, can be made to fit the experimental rate coefficient pressure dependence curves at 296-476 K, giving values for k(∞)(π) and k(∞)(O) that indicate the latter is larger in magnitude at all temperatures, in contrast to values from individual model reactions. This unexpected result suggests that, in 2,5-DHF with its two different reaction sites, the O atom exerts the more pronounced electrophilic attraction on the approaching silylene. Arrhenius parameters for the individual pathways were obtained. The lack of a fit at 598 K is consistent with decomposition of the O-complex to give 1,3-butadiene + silanone.